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I’ve been contemplating touring. I’ve done my own me-sized tours. Fly to New Orleans, do a few shows, drive to Austin, do a few shows, drive back to Louisiana, do a few more shows and so on.

It’s trickier in the UK. This is a country that lacks a true service industry culture. I miss drinking Bloody Marys and eating Mission style burritos at 5am on a Wednesday morning after my cocktail shift with bartenders and fellow wait staff at The Three Legged Dog over towards North Rampart. Or catching an awesome Rock show somewhere down the Canal end of Decatur at Midnight on a Tuesday. It’s a city with a true 24 hour, 7 day a week culture because there is always an audience. A restaurant hostess with a Monday night off or an out of town business woman in town on a Wednesday.

Three Legged Dog

The UK does not have a service industry culture, so there is almost nobody to see a Tuesday night show. No matter how awesome. Entertainment can only exist on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. You can try Sunday night, but the audience will be looking at their collective watches, knowing they have to get back and roll out that 9 to 5 on Monday morning. So, touring is limited to these little 3 day spurts. I think the answer lies in a broader spectrum. I’m definitely planning on touring the US again next year, maybe hit the West Coast, New York, definitely the Dirty South.

I’ve been looking to musicians recently to guide my plan as a performer. I’ve been listening to Henry Rollins read his book ‘Get in the Van’. It covers Black Flag’s constant touring in early to mid 80’s.

He doesn’t paint a pretty picture. It’s bleak. They frequently stay in squats with people they only half know, no heat, no running water. Everything is damp. Everything is grey.

And that’s why I choose Burlesque. My suitcase, no matter how carefully packed, is always a riot of silks, leather, cerise, turquoise, Go-Go boots and spilled glitter. Like New Orleans, I take wear my colours everywhere I go and display them proudly.

This year has been incredible. It started with me dancing at all kinds of shows in the UK. But then, something changed. There was this shift in me, I think it was about February, when everything changed. Everything got bigger, more vibrant, colours got brighter. I tried to sit tight, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t in me any more. I talk and talk about the love I have for Burlesque and all that it stands for, but I wasn’t really doing it. So, I changed it.

As of Friday 13th May, I quit my admin day job. I commemorated it at Broad Street Studios.

Lucky Number 13

I spent the rest of May back in my adopted city, New Orleans, getting inspired and drinking too much Gin. I drove to Austin and was lucky enough to perform with the gracious and beautiful Five B Pin-Ups.

Backstage at Elysium with badass Texas Mamas

It felt so good, y’all. This is the kind of freedom I’ve been striving for. I’m not going to lie. This is everything I want, everything I’ve worked hard for, everything I want for the future, but this shit don’t come easy. My new hardcore drive has taken my focus away from friendships and even my marriage. It’s a tricky tightrope and I sure as hell haven’t perfected yet. Maybe balance is possible, or maybe you just can’t have it all. I don’t know yet.

I’ve got a load of awesome and exciting shows coming up in the UK over the rest of the summer, then, and this totally blows my mind and rocks my world, I’ll be dancing in New York City at the end of September/beginning of October. If I solve the mysteries of life in that time, I’ll be sure to pass that on.

If you’d like to help me spread the Laveau love in New York and help a sister out, buy one of my Tuesday Laveau T-shirts. They’re ₤16/$20. The design is by the super talented Marcos Attwood who you should really get tattooed by. I ship with love, just drop me a line TuesdayLaveau@googlemail.com.